1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns the pumping of fluids from a fluid source to a fluid container by means of a pump apparatus and, in particular, relates to the pump apparatus being driven by natural forces.
2. Related Art
The use of fluid pumps having flexible wall(s) which are driven in a repetitive manner for moving fluid is illustrated, for example, in the following references which are incorporated by reference herein:
U.S. Pat. No. 238,639, issued to Boemer on Mar. 8, 1881 and entitled xe2x80x9cAir Pumpxe2x80x9d, discloses in FIG. 3 a pair of pump bodies in a vertical position having an inlet valve f and an outlet valve g having a one-way valve therein. A flexible wall in each of the pump bodies faces the other and a cam causes pivoting of arms E to press on the flexible walls, alternately, to cause air to be pumped into or through the pump bodies. As noted in this patent, the flexible walls C are biased in the expanded position as made so that when the flexing arm E is removed, the flexible walls will expand themselves and draw in fluid through an input one-way valve. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate another embodiment wherein a horizontal pump body A has a single flexible wall which is biased inwards of the pump body A. As the pump body A rotates about the horizontal axis, weighted balls force the flexible wall outwardly which draws in air through one of a pair of one-way valves. As the pump body rotates the flexible wall to the vertical position, the wall returns to its naturally biased position forcing out the air. The pump is designed to pump air into a water tank from outside.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,867, issued to Campbell on Feb. 15, 1983 and entitled xe2x80x9cPressure Charged Airlift Pumpxe2x80x9d, illustrates a water pump in FIG. 2 which is air driven. The pump is positioned in the bottom of an oil well to remove water and loose mud therefrom. An auxiliary pump 62 is driven by high-pressure air in the plenum 55. The operator mechanism 80 causes a pair of diaphragms 64, 66 to alternately inflate/deflate. These diaphragms 64, 66 act directly upon a pair of flexible hose sections 68, 70 with one-way valves 82, 88 on each end. By pressing on the flexible hose sections, water is forced upwardly and upon release of the diaphragrns, the hose sections 68, 70 expand and draw in more water and mud.
Generally, the present invention provides a pump for pumping a fluid by action of a moving liquid which imposes a repetitive driving force on the pump. The pump comprises at least one bladder with a flexure plate operably connected to the at least one bladder and being sufficiently flexible to bend and recover in response to the respective driving force. The pump further has at least one fluid input connector operably connected to the bladder and having a one-way valve therein to admit fluid into the bladder upon expansion of the bladder and at least one fluid output connector operably connected to the bladder and having a one-way valve therein to pass fluid out of the bladder upon compression of the bladder whereby the repetitive driving force causes the flexure plate to bend and recover in a manner which causes the bladder connected thereto to be repetitively expanded and contracted to pump fluid.
In a related aspect of the present invention, the pump is formed by at least one accordion-like bellows section having opposite closed ends where a pumping volume is defined by a wall with the bellow pleats of the accordion-like bellows section. The closed ends are attached to the pleats and the flexure plate.
In a further related aspect of the present invention, the pump comprises two bladders, each bladder being attached to a respective opposite side of the flexure plate, whereby one bladder is expanded and the other is simultaneously compressed by bending of the flexure plate.
Further, the present invention provides a method of pumping a fluid utilizing a pump which comprises at least one bladder, a flexure plate operably connected to the at least one bladder and flexible enough to bend in response to the driving force, at least one fluid input connector operably connected to the bladder and having a one-way valve therein to admit fluid into the bladder upon expansion of the bladder and at least one fluid output connector operably connected to the bladder and having a one-way valve therein to pass fluid out of the bladder upon compression of the bladder, whereby the driving force causes the flexure plate to bend in a manner which causes the bladder connected thereto to repetitively be expanded and contracted to pump fluid, the method comprising bending the flexure plate repetitively in opposite directions to alternately expand and contract the bladder to thereby impose a pumping action on fluid alternately taken into and expelled from the bladder.
In a related aspect of the present invention, the method includes two bladders, which are positioned on respective opposite sides of the flexure plate, and the method comprises compressing one bladder while simultaneously expanding the other.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a pump for pumping a fluid by action of a moving liquid imposes a repetitive driving force on a driving object which operates on the pump to pump the fluid. The pump comprises at least one resilient, deformable bladder, at least one fluid input connector operably connected to the bladder and having a one-way valve therein to admit fluid into the bladder upon expansion of the bladder and at least one fluid output connector operably connected to the bladder and having a one-way valve therein to pass fluid out of the bladder upon compression of the bladder. Also included is at least one connector for attaching the pump to an external object whereby the repetitive driving force causes the driving object to act upon the resilient, deformable bladder to be repetitively expanded and contracted to pump fluid.
In a related aspect of the present invention, the pump comprises a bladder having an accordion-like bellows section having first and second ends, the bellows section defining a pumping volume. A first end cover and a second end cover are attached to the bellows section first and second ends.
A further aspect of the present invention provides a method of pumping a fluid utilizing a pump comprising at least one bladder having a resilient, deformable wall defining a pumping volume and flexible enough to bend in response to a driving object biased by the driving force, at least one fluid input connector operably connected to the bladder and having a one-way valve therein to admit fluid into the bladder upon expansion of the bladder and at least one fluid output connector operably connected to the bladder and having a one-way valve therein to pass fluid out of the bladder upon compression of the bladder, whereby the driving object causes the wall of the bladder to bend in a manner which causes the bladder connected thereto to repetitively be expanded and contracted to pump fluid, the method comprising bending the wall repetitively in opposite directions to alternately expand and contract the bladder to thereby impose a pumping action on fluid alternately taken into and expelled from the bladder.
These and many other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the pertinent art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and the related drawings.